Back to December
by Dlbn
Summary: With Ritsuka out of the picture, Yuiko struggles to maintain her life on her own. All she has to do is believe. *Ritsuka birthday fic/Christmas Eve fic*


Dlbn: I am SUPER late, but I kept changing birthday ideas and then I forgot to write, and then I passed out early on Ritsuka's birthday because I was over tired, and I didn't get a chance to finish or post. Then this idea came up, so I settled on this. Christmas one will be up tomorrow for Christmas Day. I had two or three different ideas bumping around in my head, but only one is panning out, or I'd leave one tonight. So here's a Ritsuka's birthday/Christmas Eve fic for you all. Sorry, Ritsuka. even in the real world, your birthday gets wrapped up in the holidays ^^"

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and a couple random non-canon characters that barely appear. Anything canon to Loveless belongs to Yun Kouga. I make NO money off writing this. If I did, I could get gas.

Dedication: Dedicated to Ritsuka's birthday. If the wiki is right about his birthday, he'd be turning twenty-seven today (like me!)

Dedication: Merry Christmas Eve, everybody!

Dedication: Thanks to Messy bookshelf for unintentional inspiration of this fic. The idea came to me after reading your story "The Pair of Two", posted on the account of The DarkCat.

000

She didn't like the therapist's office, Hawatari Yuiko decided. It was bland and white, nothing cute or fun about it at all. There were toys for younger patients who couldn't articulate well yet, and there was a nice, comfy futon to sit on. But that was it. The doctor's computer had no games and gave off an eerie blue glow when the lights were turned down. It wasn't cold or warm. Despite how much she wanted it to be, it was not uncomfortable. Yuiko fidgeted, wringing her hands between her legs as the doctor stared at the clipboard in her lap and Yuiko looked at anything but her. Dr. Katsuko was a quiet, mousy woman with brown hair. She seemed nice enough, in the few minutes they'd had to introduce themselves. Yuiko didn't know what to say, and the doctor didn't seem to know where to begin.

"So, Yuiko-chan." The doctor greeted with a plastic smile. "How are you feeling today?"

"I'm okay…" Yuiko whispered, keeping her eyes on the floor.

"That's good." The doctor said. "Do you know why you're here?"

"The sensei at school think there's something wrong with Yuiko…"

"No, no, that's not it at all. There's nothing _wrong_ with you, Yuiko."

"Then why am I here…? People only go to the doctors when there's something _wrong_."

"Your sensei are just concerned about you. They say you used to be a cheery, happy-go-lucky young lady…but then this sudden change…why?"

Yuiko shrugged. "I miss him…" She answered softly.

"Miss who?"

"Ritsuka-kun." The name struck with the doctor. "He was my best friend…and now he's gone."

"Gone? Where has he gone to?" Katsuko cocked an eyebrow, jotting something down on a memo pad for later.

"He…he just said he was going to go to a different school now…he took all his things and said goodbye…it's a boarding school…"

"Oh, I see. So that's why he hasn't been here…"

"You know Ritsuka-kun?" Yuiko asked in a voice that was too loud for herself as of late.

"Oh, dear…I've said too much." Katsuko covered her mouth. "But yes, Aoyagi Ritsuka was a patient of mine."

"Ritsuka…said he had problems with his head…" Yuiko said. "He can't remember…a lot…"

"He suffers from retrograde amnesia, yes."

"Yeah…that's what he called it, too…" Yuiko paused. "I wonder…if he's forgotten about me now…"

"Why do you think that?"

"He hasn't called or texted or emailed once! He's always on Wisdom Resurrection at nights, but Yayoi-san said he hasn't been on since he left." Yuiko replied. "I tried to call him, but it went to voicemail, and he didn't return my message…maybe…maybe he doesn't know who we are anymore…"

"Was he acting…strange…before he left?"

Katsuko mentally scolded herself. She was here to help Yuiko; not to get information about Ritsuka out of her.

"No more than usual…" She cracked a small smile. "Those guys…the twins…they went, too…it was their old school…they're Ritsuka-kun's friends. Maybe…maybe he just replaced Yayoi-san and me…" Tears welled in her eyes. "Ritsuka-kun was the only one to ever stand up for me to the bullies at school, and now he's gone and…why didn't he tell me where he was going? Why didn't he say why he had to go?"

"Maybe he didn't want to worry you." She handed the pinkette a tissue. "If something was going on, that is. I can't say for sure, because he just stopped coming here, too…said something about a guy…A…Agatsu…something…"

"S-Soubi-san?" Yuiko asked. "Agatsuma Soubi-san?"

"Yes! That sounds about right." She cursed herself for getting excited. "Did you know him?"

"He was Ritsuka's friend." Yuiko nodded. "Everyone said they were together, but Ritsuka-kun got mad if you said that to him…but Soubi-san left a while ago. I'm not sure what happened. Ritsuka won't tell me. The twins won't either, and they're his cousins!" She paused. "His birthday was two days ago…I texted him a happy birthday, and I posted on his Wisdom Resurrection account, but…"

"No response?" Katsuko sighed. "What a mystery indeed…" A pause. "Is that what's been troubling you, Yuiko? You miss your friend?"

"Yes!" Yuiko shrieked, crying into a tissue. "It's not fair! I got such a special best friend, and then he just disappeared! I'm alone now…Yayoi-san is there, but it's not the same. I…I love Ritsuka-kun…I'm so lost without him!"

"Oh my."

In love with someone who may or may not be in love with someone else, another _male_. That had to have been a low blow to Yuiko's heart. Whether Ritsuka was around or not, her love would never be returned. Tragic, really.

"Do you think maybe he just needs some time? Has he been going through some stuff…?"

"The twins said his momma was crazy…she scared me when I brought over homework and flowers once…I thought she wanted to kill me…you don't…you don't think she did something to him, do you?" Yuiko bit her nails. "If Yuiko knew his momma was like that and didn't say anything…Yuiko would feel so guilty!" She wailed.

"I'm sure its nothing like that!" Katsuko informed. "Why go through all the trouble of faking switching schools because you think your mom is going to hurt you? He'd go to the authorities…"

"No! Ritsuka-kun…his brother's dead…" Yuiko swallowed hard. "He was afraid of losing his mom, but…"

"But then he up and left anyway." Katsuko shook her head. "But enough about Ritsuka-kun, okay? We're here for you."

"Yeah…but Yuiko doesn't need to be here! When Ritsuka-kun gets back to me, you'll see! Things will be different! I'll be happy again!" She smiled gently. "Yeah…when Ritsuka-kun comes back…"

"Yuiko…it's been a year and a half since I last saw Aoyagi Ritsuka…" Katsuko approached the subject gently. "That means he's been gone about the same amount of time. If he was going to come back…he would have by now. I don't think he's going to…"

"That's what everyone said about Soubi-san, too." Yuiko sighed, shoulders slumping. "He left when we were twelve…he's been gone longer…maybe…maybe Ritsuka-kun went to find him…but…" She sniffled. "Sensei, listen!" She leaned forward, clasping her hands together in front of her. "Yuiko knows that Ritsuka-kun will come back. In here." She clenched her hands to her chest over her heart. "Yuiko knows for sure! One day he'll come home and explain everything, and things will be alright again! Ritsuka-kun always knows what to say and what to do. But Yuiko is dumb like that. I never know what to say or do, or how to act…and that's why everyone is so worried! Nothing is wrong, Yuiko is just sad and awkward! Everyone says she is, so why would they be wrong? That's all it is. Once Ritsuka-kun comes back, everything will be okay, and no one will worry about Yuiko again." She nodded. "Right? That's how it's going to be."

Katsuko smiled gently. There was no changing this teenager's mind, she realized. She was convinced Ritsuka would come back and fix her life. But thinking that way was dangerous. Thinking that way might have been what finally set Ritsuka off the deep end and made him go look for his missing friend.

000

Yuiko trudged down the street towards her childhood home after her appointment with the doctor. She didn't feel any better after going there, but she was one hundred percent _convinced_ Ritsuka-kun was going to come back for her. They were best friends! He couldn't just leave her hanging. That wasn't what best friends did. He was probably looking for Soubi-san or had no service and couldn't get her calls and texts. That had to have been it, right? He couldn't have abandoned her like her old friends did. She was still friends with Yayoi-san, and that was nice. But there was something about having Ritsuka-kun there that she missed, that she craved. She passed a group of kids laughing and promising to be friends forever. As hot tears stung her eyes, she ran past them and down the street towards home. Father would still be at work, but mother might have gotten home by now. All she had to do was go home to her parents and she'd be okay. That's what she tried to convince herself. She took the stairs up to the apartment two at a time, her long legs making it easy for her to do so now. Shaky hands put her key in the lock and she swung the door open, expecting to smell dinner. Instead, she was greeted with a dark, empty house. The only smell coming from inside was the typical smell of the house, the one she'd grown up around and knew to be the scent of her home. She slammed the door angrily behind her and stormed into the kitchen for a drink. Sitting on the table was a handwritten note, and she picked it up.

 _Yuiko,_

 _I'm sorry, honey, but your father and I both have to work late. I'll be home around seven, your father will be home between eight and nine. Don't open the door for strangers and finish your homework. There's dinner in the fridge; please just reheat it in the microwave for three minutes maximum. I just restocked the fridge with soda and juice, so you should be good to go. I hope your appointment went well today. We'll discuss it later when I get home._

 _Love,_

 _Mother_

Yuiko crumbled up the note and threw it at the trash, bouncing it off the rim and letting it fall to the floor. She suddenly didn't feel hungry or thirsty anymore. She left the room, pink hair bouncing as she angrily stormed to her room. Inside, she opened the window and climbed out onto the window sill. It was times like these where she was glad she was tall, because she didn't need to hide a ladder to be able to reach the roof. She climbed up and sat there, staring up at the darkening sky. The moon and stars started to pop out amidst the blackness as she hugged her knees to her chest and stared. Her phone buzzed in her pocket, but the vibration setting was one she reserved for Yayoi, so she ignored it. she needed to be alone.

"Hey." Someone greeted next to her.

She jolted, startled, and looked up at who had surprised her. A boy about her age with dark hair like Ritsuka's was standing next to her, clutching the strap on his backpack.

"Oh, hello, Taro." She greeted with a small smile. "How are you?"

She'd grown up with him in the building, but outside of classwork, they rarely spoke.

"I'm okay. How are you?" He asked. "You seem upset."

"Mommy and daddy are working late. Again." She sighed. "I had to see the doctor today…"

"Oh yeah?" He slung his bag down and sat next to her. "How did that go?"

"It was fine…" Yuiko sighed. "She thinks Ritsuka-kun went after Soubi-san, and that's why he's been gone so long. But…she doesn't think he's coming back."

"To be fair, I don't think anyone thinks he is." He shrugged his shoulders and shook his head. "Sorry. I don't mean to upset you."

"Why does everyone think Yuiko is a crybaby?" Yuiko groaned, flopping back on the roof. "Everyone is so worried about making me sad or upsetting me. Its frustrating!" She stretched her arms out. "Now I know how Ritsuka-kun felt when sensei worried about him. It's so tiring trying to make everyone think you're okay when you're not…"

"You're not okay?"

"I miss Ritsuka-kun…without him, life isn't worth…"

Taro frowned. "You're not up here to jump, are you?"

"What?!" She sat up quickly, mouth agape. "Why would you ask such a thing? No!"

He looked at her wrist. "No reason…"

Yuiko covered the scars with her sleeve. "No, I'm not going to jump, okay?" She sighed. "Yuiko…I just miss Ritsuka-kun so much…I know that if he came home, things would be so much better. You know? They'd leave me alone. Mommy and the sensei will stop worrying about me, my classmates stop picking on me…everything will be fine when Ritsuka-kun comes back. But no one believes me that he's going to come back when he's ready, and I just…"

He put a hand on her shoulder. "I'll believe you, Yuiko." He offered with a small grin. "If more than one person believes, then tis bound to happen, right? That's how things work, isn't it? the more the merrier, so why not the more the stronger? Hm?"

"You're right." Yuiko grinned. "Thanks, Taro…you're always so nice to me. But why…?"

He sighed and rolled up his sleeve, exposing scars up his arm. "I'm like you" He informed. "I mean, I _was_. But I met Kumiko and…" He smiled gently. "I've got a reason to go on, you know? I've got a reason to be happy and not be so sad all the time. Maybe you need to find a new reason to live for, hm? Something that _isn't_ dependent on Aoyagi?"

"Like what?"

"Well, I'm not oblivious to the looks Shioiri-san gives you. No one is. No one but you, that is."

She flushed. "You think he…likes me…?"

"I'm a million percent certain he does." Taro replied. "He's too afraid to come out and say it, but it's in everything he does, everything he says. He's really worried about you, Yuiko, and it's not just because you're his only real friend." He was in Yayoi's class growing up most years, though he was in the same building as Yuiko, and saw a side of Yayoi-san that she never did.

"But…how can I do that…?" Yuiko wondered. "How can I just forget about Ritsuka-kun? He was always afraid people would forget him. if he comes back and finds out I forgot about him…?"

"You're not forgetting about him. you're just moving on and accepting the fact that he may not be back for a while, if ever. But we'll believe he is so, in the meantime, maybe you should try and be happy. He'd like to see you happy. He wouldn't like knowing that he made you so miserable. He wouldn't like being the reason for your tears. He thought you were strong enough that he was comfortable leaving you alone. To come back and realize he was wrong…" He laughed. "Honestly, I don't see why you two haven't gotten together yet, really. I know you like him, and he makes it _pretty_ obvious that he likes you, too."

"He's…got his eye on someone else." Yuiko offered slowly. "But that's okay…maybe that will change…that person's been gone a real long time. Longer than Ritsuka-kun. Maybe he'll give up…"

"Don't hold onto that hope. Some feelings are hard to shake."

"Taro? Where are you?" His father called, leaning out the window. "If you're on the roof again, I swear to god, boy!"

Taro sighed when he was sure his father was gone. "Great, dad's drunk again. Five minutes of peace. That's all I ask." He shook his head and stood, grabbing his bag. "I'll see you in the morning, okay? I'll walk you to school."

"Okay…thanks, Taro…thanks for believing in me."

He smiled gently, slinging his bag into his room through the window. "Any time, Yuiko. The more the merrier."

She watched him leave before deciding to do the same, shivering slightly from the cold December air. In her room, Yuiko made a note of the time and took out her work to do. Mother would like it if she was done before she got home in an hour and a half. That would make her happy, which would make Yuiko happy. But only for a short while.

000

She was certain she was dreaming, but she didn't know how to snap herself out of it. Yuiko had tried pinching her arm, biting it, kicking the desk. Nothing worked. She was still sitting in a classroom she recognized as being half her ninth-grade classroom, and half her sixth-grade classroom; where she was chained to a desk. She was alone in the darkness. The lights were off and only a little sun was filtering in through the open window. Yuiko looked around as she stood, but the desk wouldn't let her move too far from it for some reason. She felt bound, as if trying to break free would only make what was forcing her to stay grow stronger. She sighed. There was nothing special about either half of the room. They both looked the same as they did when she left them for the last time on the last day of each grade.

On the sixth-grade side, the end of the year projects were still hanging up, some stained with teardrop marks from Shinonome-sensei. Textbooks were returned in a big, messy pile on the back table that once housed a fish tank with six or seven little fish in it. The tank had been emptied days before the last day of classes, and the fish returned to the little pond in the school courtyard for the summer. Desks were pushed this way and that as the students did one last elementary school activity together. There were streamers decorating the ceiling, used paper plates and cake containers sitting in the trash can by the door, and balloons lying here and there. Sensei had really gone out for that end of the year party. There were still pieces of the piñata she'd gotten them laying on the floor in the center of the desks, the corpse of the rainbow unicorn piñata hanging from the ceiling and the bat thrown haphazardly on the pile. That was the last day of sixth grade almost four years ago.

The other half of the classroom was a grim reminder of the end of eighth grade. There was no party, no unicorn or snacks. There were no tearstained projects and empty fish tanks. The desks were aligned in neat little rows. Decorative streamers wrapped around the desk part of it, not touching the legs but that was as far as decoration went. People had cried and hugged, thinking it would be the last day they saw one another because they were all going in different directions for high school. Yuiko, Yayoi, and Ritsuka had all been accepted to the same high school, as had the twins. But only two of them would end up going that route. The last day of sixth grade was the last day she'd ever see Ritsuka-kun or the twins again. They'd left for wherever they were going for boarding school two days after the last day. He'd sent Yuiko and Yayoi both a text that simply said _goodbye_. She'd tried to text him to find out what he meant, but when she went to Kio and Akira's place to find him-as he'd been staying there since his mother kicked him out at fourteen. They were friends with Soubi-they said he'd just left with the twins that morning, saying he'd be back _eventually_. Since they had rather slack rules for him, they had assumed he'd come back that day, maybe one or two later when he was done doing whatever with the twins. But when Kio went to change his sheets and found the room stripped of everything he'd owned, that was when they knew that _eventually_ would be a lot longer than they thought. Yuiko hadn't asked the lovers about their pseudo-son often, but when she did, they hadn't heard anything either, it was maddening.

"This place stays the same." Someone said from the doorway. "We change, but the room never does. Same setup, same party, same _friendships_ …"

Yuiko turned, mouth open. "R-Ritsuka-kun…?" She wondered.

Standing in the doorway as a boy about her age with long raven black hair in a low ponytail and piercing plum colored irises. He was in a hoodie under a leather coat and jeans with sneakers, hands jammed into his pockets. The only thing about him that surprised her was something he was missing.

"Y-Your ears…your tail…?" She wondered.

"Huh?" He cocked his head to the side. "Oh, those pesky things?" He touched where his ears had been. "Yeah, those are long gone, Yuiko."

"You're only sixteen…"

"And when I was twelve, I met the man I was going to spend the rest of my life with." Ritsuka informed. "I would be a fool to not take advantage when he offered to get rid of them…"

"Where did you go…?" She asked. "We've been looking everywhere for you! Yu… _I_ was looking everywhere for you! I left messages and voice mails, I posted in Wisdom, I sent emails and called…you never answered any of that, Ritsuka-kun! Why not? Why would you _do_ that to me?"

"Everyone's always thinking its about _them_." Ritsuka sneered. "Maybe I had to do this for me, hm?" He slapped his chest with an open palm. "Maybe this was what _I_ needed and, for once in my life, I didn't give a _damn_ what anyone else thought about it?" He took a couple calming breaths. "You don't get it, Yuiko, you couldn't. I needed to escape. I had to get out here, to find _him_."

"You did go looking for Soubi-san…"

"I went after my brother." Ritsuka corrected. "My low down, no good, sociopathic, sadistic, murderous bastard of a brother." He sneered. "Soubi was just a biproduct; I knew that from the start. Seimei controlled his every move. _That's_ why he left me. Alone. in a _graveyard_. By his parents' _grave_!" Ritsuka sighed. "I couldn't possibly expect a civilian to understand, but please, just understand that this is what I had to do. I'm not whole without Soubi. I can't be without him. I tried. It _sucks_. Kio and Akira are great parental figures, and even better friends, but they're not Soubi." A pause. "All you need to know is that I'm _safe_ , Yuiko. I'm in a warm, comfortable bed at night. I have food in my stomach, clothes in my back. I'm not cold, I'm not _alone_. I'm with a man that loves me, whom I love. I'm with friends that would lay down their very _lives_ for me if they had to."

"I would do that!" Yuiko fought the chain. "I'd do anything for you, Ritsuka-kun! Anything! Even if it meant giving my own _life_! I'd die for you! I…I…I _love_ you…!"

"Shut up" Ritsuka glared. "Don't you say that to me, Hawatari Yuiko." He seethed. "Just don't…whenever people say that…they…they go away…I don't want you to go away. If you go away, you'll forget about…me…"

"I'll never forget about you!" She struggled. "I promise, Ritsuka-kun, I believe in you! I won't forget you! You're going to come home to Tokyo, and we're going to have a nice, long chat about everything! You're going to come home because I _believe_ you're going to come home! Taro does too! No one else believes me, but he and I do! And as long as we believe it, it will come true, Ritsuka-kun! Just please…please come home to me! I can't live without you!"

"You're going to have to try." Ritsuka stalked closer, a fire burning in his eyes. "You're my _best friend_ , Yuiko. Osamu and I are close, sure. Would I know what to do without Yoji and Natsuo guiding me every step of the way and being blunt when they thought I was being a reckless idiot? No, I wouldn't. Would I have known about Wisdom Resurrection, would I have known I could have _male friends_ without Yayoi? Hell, no! Would I have gotten through sixth grade without Shinonome-sensei or Katsuko-sensei? I wouldn't have! I'd be homeless, hopeless, without Akira and Kio. I know that for a _fact_. But you're my _best friend_ and to lose you…to lose you over something so stupid would be an insult to both of our intelligences _and_ our friendship! So, don't you _dare_ say you'd die for me, Yuiko. That's not your job. I have people for that. You're my best friend. You have to live in my place!" He took deep, calming breaths, but it only seemed to fuel the fire instead of fan the flames. "You're going to have to live without me, Yuiko, if just for a little while longer. I'm not gone forever. I'm not _dead_. I'm learning the things I need to know to survive out there."

"Why can't you learn that here? With me?" She cried. "Why have you abandoned me?!"

Ritsuka's gave softened, but the heated feeling in the room did not cool. "There are things I can only learn here, where I am." He answered, as if it explained everything. "I _need_ to be here. Please. Once my training is complete, I'll come back, and I'll never leave again."

"You can't promise that!"

"Tokyo is _mine_. It is my home, it is my territory. I am _not_ going to abandon it, and I'm sure as _fuck_ not going to abandon you! You or Akira and Kio or Yayoi and sensei! None of you! I'm not going to be like Seimei! I'm not going to die, I'm not going to fake my death and stay away. I'm going to come _back_."

"I know you are…because I believe that you are…" She stopped struggling, feeling the chain around her start to loosen. "I don't know what to do without you, Ritsuka-kun. I'm so lost without you…"

"You need to find yourself, Yuiko, the way that I have." The room seemed to cool the air and tension weren't as thick as they were. "You can be your own person, have your own life, _without_ me. And when the time for me to return there comes, I can find my place in it. But right now, you _have_ to go on without me. For me. Please. If you do that, the quicker I'll come back. All you have to do is _try_."

"But…I'm scared…" She hugged herself as the chain vanished into little puffs of light.

"I know it's scary, Yuiko." Ritsuka offered gently, holding a hand out to her. "But if you're willing to try, then I'll try too, okay? We're in this together. We always are."

She took the hand offered to her. "R-Ritsuka-kun…I…" She paused. "I lo…"

"Don't." He held a finger to her lips. "Please, those words have special meaning to me. To hear them from someone who is not my lover…"

"I understand…" She smiled gently. "I'll try, Ritsuka-kun. For you."

"I'll try for you too, Yuiko."

"What…what should I do first…?"

"You should wake up."

"Huh?"

Ritsuka was gone with a pop, as were pieces of the room disappearing around her. She screamed as she fell into the abyss.

000

Yuiko woke herself up screaming. She had a piece of paper stuck to her cheek from homework. It appeared she'd fallen asleep doing her homework at her desk. When her mother didn't come rushing in to see what was wrong, she checked the clock to find that it was only six thirty at night. Her mother said she'd be home by seven in the note. Yuiko flushed and wiped her forehead. How embarrassing would that have been to explain to her mom? Ritsuka-kun without ears? Ears he lost to _Soubi-san_? IR wasn't like Yuiko had a problem with them being together, but Soubi-san was so much _older_. Was it even legal for them to do that kind of thing? Yuiko shook her head and got back to work on her math homework. She was almost done with Japanese when her mother came home, knocking on her bedroom door before entering.

"I'm home, Yuiko." She greeted with a small grin. "Did you have a good day at school?"

"I always have a good day at school, mommy." Yuiko smiled gently back at her mother.

"That's good…how did the appointment go…?"

"It went okay…she's nice."

"I'm glad." She smiled back. "Any breakthroughs?"

"She thinks I'm just upset because Ritsuka-kun isn't there with me anymore. I miss him."

"I know you do." Her mother patted her head. "But you know, there is more to life than just Ritsuka-kun…"

"I know." Yuiko replied. "But that doesn't mean I have to give up! I believe he's going to come back. That's enough to keep me happy."

"I'm glad you found something to believe in, love." Her mother kissed the top of her head. "I'm going to get started on dinner. You're welcome to help me if you'd like."

"I'd love to!" Yuiko hopped out of her chair and followed her mother.

While she helped her mom cook and get ready for that night's meal, Yuiko couldn't help but wonder what dream Ritsuka-kun meant.

000

Ritsuka's birthday was a week ago. It came and went like any other day. Yuiko said a prayer for him when she woke up, and before she went to bed. His name wasn't announced on the loudspeaker at school with the other three birthdays for that day. No one mentioned him, not even Yayoi. As much as the pinkette believed that he was going to come back, she couldn't help but feel as time went on that she was wrong. Returning to school after the new year, Yuiko couldn't help but feel a little lonely as she listened to the other students talk about the things they did over break with their friends and families. Sure, her family was there, and she spent quite a bit of time with Yayoi like dream Ritsuka had suggested, but she still felt strange not having him around. Yayoi seemed to understand that she still wasn't herself yet, but he was still okay with just spending as much time with her as he could. She saw the therapist a few times to talk things out, but it only made her realize just how much she loved and missed the raven haired neko that once brightened up her world.

"Good morning, students." Her sensei greeted.

"Good morning, Sensei." Yuiko chorused back with the rest of the class.

"You may be seated." He wrote something on the board, blocking it with his body. "We're having a new student join us. Taking the whole _new year, new me_ thing a little too far." He chuckled at his own pathetic joke. "Come on in."

The door opened and a boy only an inch or two shorter than Yuiko strut in, head held high as if he owned the place and wasn't afraid of starting at a new school. He had long black hair and no ears, with piercing plum eyes. Plum eyes? Wasn't that the same…?

"Class, meet your new classmate. A…"

"Ritsuka-kun?" Yuiko all but shrieked as she stood, her desk clattering a bit with her.

"Calm down, Yuiko." Ritsuka replied, flipping bangs out of his face. "You act like you haven't seen me in two years."

"Because I haven't seen you in four!"

"You two know one another?" Sensei asked.

"He went to our elementary school, but vanished right after middle school." Amane, a girl that was once friends with Yuiko but now bullied her, informed for her. "I feel sorry for whoever had the duty of getting rid of those…"

His nose twitched in irritation. "I'll pass the word to my boyfriend after classes." He rolled his eyes.

"Boyfriend…?" Another student asked.

Soubi-san. He had to be talking about Soubi-san, right? Like dream Ritsuka had?

"Take your seat, then, since no introductions are needed." Sensei replied. "Unless you'd like to say a few words? Things must have changed since you left…?"

"Ah, not much to report." Ritsuka rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm Aoyagi Ritsuka, seventeen. I'm from Kyoto originally, but I've moved a few times. Ah…lost my ears a couple years ago…and yes, we're still together…er…that's about it."

"Where did you go?" Amane wondered.

"Gora. I had work to do." Ritsuka replied almost robotically and adjusted the strap to his backpack. "Boyfriend's step father had major surgery and left his school to me to look after while he was out."

"You ran a school?" Yuiko asked. "What school?"

"Ah, I really just did the paperwork since he's blind and can't do a damn thing on his own. Er… _was_ blind…surgery…" Ritsuka cleared his throat. "As for the school, I'm afraid I can't tell you."

"Or you'd have to kill her?" Amane rolled her eyes.

"Nah, I'd make my friends do that. Getting my hands dirty isn't my style. It's an Aoyagi thing." He winked.

"Alright, Aoyagi-kun, that is enough. Please, take your seat." He motioned towards the desks. "There's an empty one next to Hawatari."

Yuiko watched Ritsuka strut over, flopping down at his new desk-though their positioning reminded her of their elementary school days and therefore wasn't entirely new-and heaving out a sigh as he relaxed into his spot, head back so he was facing the ceiling. When he looked at her and smiled, she felt the littlest tinge of pink crawl up her cheeks and her stomach do flip flops. She knew now that Ritsuka-kun would never be hers. But she had believed, and he had come back to her.

A few days late, but she got her Christmas miracle. Maybe there was something to this whole _believing_ thing, after all.


End file.
